[bestbits] Request for input: draft text calling for CS input into negotiations on WSIS+10 modalities

[Deborah Brown]

Dear all,

As you may be aware, negotiations over the modalities for the overall WSIS
review are resuming at the UN General Assembly in NY. After failing to
reach an agreement by their deadline in December, the General Assembly
decided to appoint two co-facilitators to convene open intergovernmental
consultations to finalize the modalities for the overall WSIS review
(A/C.2/68/L.73-attached). It was recently announced that the
co-facilitators
are *Finland* and *Tunisia*. UNGA has until the end of March to adopt a new
resolution finalizing the modalities for the WSIS review.

As you might remember, there was an earlier draft of the resolution
introduced by the G77 (A/C.2/68/L.40- attached), which called for the
formation of an inter-governmental preparatory committee to set the agenda,
finalize the outcome documents, and decide on modalities of participation
of other stakeholders (OP22) for a 10-year review summit (OP21).  This
proved to be too controversial which is in a large part why it was decided
to continue the negotiating. (See Sam Dickinson's post for more info:
http://linguasynaptica.com/unga-68-ict4d-resolution/)

Given the approach that the draft resolution initially took, I am writing
to see if there is interest developing a joint letter to the
co-facilitators to communicate a desire by members of civil society to
engage in the overall review process and establish concrete mechanisms for
contributions. My sense is that if there is an opportunity to do so it is
now, while governments are negotiating the modalities.

I drafted some points that could serve as the basis for a joint letter (see
below) with input from a few people who have been following the WSIS review
process, including the small group (Matthew, Lea, Joana, and myself) that
worked on some initial analysis of the early draft of the ICT4D resolution
(attached).

The goal of this letter is to demonstrate an interest and willingness of CS
to engage in the WSIS review process now, and have the opportunity to help
shape the outcome from the beginning. * We're very interested in your
thoughts on this draft and would welcome feedback, suggested edits, etc. by
the end of your day Monday, 3 February*. If there's support, it would be
great to post the final letter on the Best Bits website for endorsement
next week.

Here's the draft text:

Your Excellencies,

We are writing as members of civil society deeply engaged in Internet
governance and ICT for development issues. Some/many of us have been
engaged in this field since the inception of WSIS. At the outset, we would
like to congratulate you on your appointment as co-facilitators of the
General Assembly's open intergovernmental consultations to finalize the
modalities for the overall review of the implementation of the outcomes of
the World Summit on the Information Society.

We feel strongly that all stages of the overall WSIS review process should
be open to all interested stakeholders, and as members of global civil
society would welcome the opportunity to input into these informal
consultations .

The modalities for the overall review must embody the spirit of WSIS and
the progress that has been made since 2005, as exemplified in the various
multi-stakeholder processes such as the Multistakeholder Preparatory
Platform for the WSIS High Level Event and the UNESCO WSIS+10 Review Event,
but also the Internet Governance Forum, the Working Group on Internet
Governance, the Working Group on IGF improvements, and the Working Group on
Enhanced Cooperation.

We envision an overall WSIS review that renews and revives commitment to
the Geneva principles' vision of a "people-centred, inclusive,
development-oriented and non-discriminatory Information Society", is rooted
in the international human rights framework, and builds on the achievements
and addresses the challenges experienced in the 10 years since WSIS.
Additionally,
we believe that the overall WSIS review should seek to find synergies and
synchronicities with the post-2015 development agenda, and in this context
we would encourage the development of more concrete, measurable targets
relating to ICTs and development.

To conclude, we consider it critical that the modalities of the overall
WSIS review take into account the viewpoints of all stakeholders and
establish concrete mechanisms for civil society to channel its contributions,
including through remote participation. Therefore, we, as members of global
civil society, are keen to input into the informal consultations that you
are facilitating and look forward to engaging more formally in the
preparatory process to the overall review.

Sincerely,

xx



Kind regards,
Deborah

-- 
Deborah Brown
 Senior Policy Analyst
Access | accessnow.org
rightscon.org

@deblebrown
PGP 0x5EB4727D
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